Uncaged by Lucy Gordon Page B

move. Her gaze was fixed on the spot where her son had stood watching her, as though she could recreate him through sheer longing. “It was him, wasn’t it?” she whispered. “I wasn’t fooling myself?”
    “No, you weren’t fooling yourself,” he said gently. “That was the boy I saw the other day.”
    “And he knew me, didn’t he?” she almost pleaded.
    “Yes, he knew you. Let’s go home now.”
    She was quiet all the way home, but then she took charge of cooking supper and a wave of euphoria seemed to be buoying her up. “Go into the living room, and I’ll bring the coffee in,” she told him.
    “That meal was a work of art,” he said as they settled down.
    “I learned cordon bleu to please Brian,” she said with a shrug. “It was one of the things he felt was appropriate for his wife. Do you know, I’d almost forgotten that I could cook like that, but suddenly it’s all come back to me. So many things are coming back—as if I’d suddenly returned to life. Tommy knew me. After three years, he knew me as easily as I knew him. Somehow I just know everything’s going to be all right.”
    Something uneasy in his manner seemed to get through to her. “You’ve been quiet all evening,” she said. “What is it? Look, I know I sound crazily optimistic. I know I’ve got a battle on my hands. Brian isn’t going to give up easily, but suddenly I feel strong enough to fight him. In fact, I feel strong enough for anything, and I owe it to you, so don’t spoil it by being downcast.”
    “I don’t want to spoil it,” he said unhappily, “but it may be even harder than you think....”
    She sat down on the sofa beside him and looked searchingly into his face. “What is it, Daniel? Have you been keeping something back?” His silence gave her the answer, and she took hold of him strongly by the shoulders. “It’s all right, you can tell me. I’m strong now. I really am.”
    “All right,” he said heavily. “I should have told you before, but I didn’t know how. Brian is planning to marry again.”
    He saw her face go gray and felt the shock shiver through her body. “Megan, it’s all right,” he said urgently. “We’re going to get him back, I promise.”
    “A stable family home,” she whispered. “That’s what the court will say—two parents. Or a mother with a cloud over her.”
    “A mother he loves,” Daniel said insistently. “He hates this other woman, I heard him say so. He said he wouldn’t accept her as his mommy. Courts listen to children these days. Megan, listen to me, we’re not going to give up. We’re going to prove you innocent and get him back. ”

Seven
    “W e’re going to prove you innocent and get Tommy back,” Daniel repeated. “Megan, do you hear me?”
    She said nothing, but the desperate look in her eyes was both a reproach and an answer. Unable to bear that look, Daniel bent his head and kissed her on the lips, wrapping his arms right around her slim body and holding her close. There was no passion in his embrace, only a desire to comfort and console her with tenderness and warmth. As he kissed her, he continued to murmur, “It’ll be all right...I’m going to make it right for you...trust me.”
    At last he seemed to get through to her. He felt her relax, and began to stroke her hair. He was glad when she buried her face against him so that she couldn’t see his expression with its burden of doubt. He’d made promises that he didn’t know how to keep, but somehow he must find a way.
    Megan lifted her face again. “Daniel...” she whispered.
    Her lips were close to his, and suddenly no power on earth could have stopped him from lowering his head and kissing her. He meant it as consolation—at least, so he told himself—but a million years seemed to have passed since their last kiss only a few seconds ago. Everything had changed. Now there was no comfort or contentment, no reassurance, no friendly easing of strain. Daniel’s body went rigid